Electronics Industry Update
-- Semiconductor International, 6/1/2000
Worldwide Sales of Semiconductor Devices
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Manufacturers' Shipments of Computers & Peripheral Equipment
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Manufacturers' Shipments of Electronic Components
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Manufacturers' Shipments of Communications Equipment
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Despite the decline in shipments over the latest month, new orders to the industry rose a bit during February, up 0.6% from the January level - which itself was 8.1% higher than in December 1999. Through the first two months of 2000, the value of computer/peripherals shipments was running 15.6% ahead of the year-earlier pace, while orders had risen 17.3% above the January-February 1999 total.
The value of shipments from U.S. communications equipment manufacturers declined by a modest 1.3% January and February of this year, following an impressive 11.3% gain in the month before. More worrisome was the 6.7% drop in orders to the industry during February, which followed a 5.7% decline between December and January.
Nevertheless, over-the-year trends remain solidly positive, and the January-February losses in orders volume followed an exceptional 14.5% gain during the final month of 1999. And February 2000 industry shipments were valued at a level 29.6% above the February 1999 total, so we've come a long ways in a short time. Even with the early-2000 easing, the value of new orders received by communications equipment manufacturers was 24.2% greater this February than last February. Through two months of 2000, shipments are running 27.0% ahead of the January-February 1999 total, while orders are 26.3% greater than through the first two months of 1999.
Communications equipment demand has grown steadily throughout the past year, largely because of the increased export opportunities presented by improving worldwide economic conditions, and because of strong Internet-related domestic demand. And there is still solid evidence that both domestic and foreign demand for a wide variety of communications equipment products will continue to build in the years ahead.
The dollar value of shipments from U.S. electronic components' manufacturers rose 2.6% between January and February of this year, following a gain of 1.9% between December 1999 and the first month of 2000. At a level of $15.87 billion (seasonally adjusted), the value of February 2000 shipments of electronic components was 21.5% greater than during February 1999.
The value of new orders to the electronics components industry, on the other hand, exhibited extremes of decline and growth during early 2000, in marked contrast to the steady and solid upward movement in shipments values. After plunging by 22.2% during the first month of the new year, new orders to component manufacturers soared by 27.1% between January and February. The value of February 2000 electronic components orders was 40.2% higher than during February 1999.
The total dollar value of worldwide semiconductor sales increased by 1.2% between January and February of this year, according to preliminary data released by the Semiconductor Industry Association. Between the same two months of last year, dollar sales volume rose by 1.8%. Chip sales this February had an estimated current dollar value that was 31.8% above the February 1999 level.
Unit sales volume increased much more sharply than dollar volume over the latest month, with February unit shipments rising 4.6% above the total for the first month of 2000. Unit sales this February were 33.8% higher than during the same month of 1999.
The average sales price (ASP) of all semiconductors (integrated and discrete combined) sold during February 2000 fell 3.1% below January's average price of 51.9 cents. ASPs this February were about 10% below the average price of all semiconductors sold during the final month of 1999. And the February 2000 ASP was 1.6% lower than the average price for chips sold during February of 1999. For full-year 1999, average chip prices were up 2.1% from the 1998 average. Over the previous twelve months, semiconductor ASPs had plunged by 9.4%.
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